


In the Twilight Hour Alone

by pixiealtaira



Series: Hummel Holidays 2015 [11]
Category: Glee
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23783575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiealtaira/pseuds/pixiealtaira
Summary: Hummel Holidays Day 11: twilight
Series: Hummel Holidays 2015 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1700818
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	In the Twilight Hour Alone

Kurt Hummel was waiting, in what he considered a rather patient manner - although he was certain Mrs. Austin, the babysitter, would disagree- for his father to come and get him. He was leaning his head against the window and Mrs. Austin was sure to make him clean it the next day, she always did. His dad was supposed to be early and they were supposed to finally be able to go Christmas Shopping. But it was already twilight and full dark was fast approaching. Oh, he knew that dark fell fast in winter but he also knew some stores closed at dark and it got cold at dark and so they wouldn’t be able to spend much time at the open farmer’s market if Daddy didn’t get here quick.

His dad had been late every night so far for the whole month…and last month and the month before that. His dad hadn’t been on time since he started being babysat by Mrs. Austin. Sometimes, his dad didn’t get there until past 8pm. Kurt knew he paid Mrs. Austin extra so she wouldn’t stop watching him even though he was always late. When they got home Kurt did his homework while his dad made dinner…Mrs. Austin refused to feed kids she watched or help with homework or even oversee their homework. Mrs. Austin had lots of things she DID NOT DO. At Mrs. Austin’s the kids she watched got off the school bus and then went into the backyard and played until the sun started to go down, or the playroom in the basement if it was too cold out. She came and watched the kids when fights happened or too much screaming occurred, but Kurt and the others were supposed to be nice and shut up and not cause problems. When the sun started to set then they all went to the main room and waited for their parents to pick them up, they were supposed to sit and read or sit and just be quiet and still. Most kids sat in the main room for less than a half hour. Kurt’s dad was almost always the last to pick him up. The ride home was always the radio and set to his dad’s music. Then Kurt went to the table, set it, and pulled out his homework and his dad went to the kitchen. When dinner was done his dad put some on Kurt’s plate and took his own off to the living room in front of the TV. As soon as Kurt finished his homework and was finished eating he put his dishes in the dishwasher and then went and bathed himself. Then Kurt was put to bed. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d watched a movie or TV show he wanted. Mrs. Austin only watched game shows and news. The only day that didn’t go wake, school, Mrs. Austin, eat late, sleep was Wednesday…and that was only because Kurt’s piano lessons were paid in full for the full year before his mom died and he missed so many during summer his teacher added those missed to the end so he was paid up until the end of March. Miss Leanne picked him up from school even though his lesson wasn’t until 4pm and then dropped him off at the garage after piano. She even fed him an afterschool snack. She asked how his day had gone. Kurt loved Wednesdays.

His dad’s truck came around the corner just before he was about to give up hope.

Kurt rushed to the door and had his bag and coat together before his dad even left the truck. “Bye Mrs. Austin. See you on Thursday!” Kurt yelled as he let himself out the front door and ran to his dad’s truck as it pulled up in front of Mrs. Austin’s house.

“And what if I had wanted to talk to Mrs. Austin?” Burt asked his 8 year old son as he climbed into the truck.

“Than you should have been early…or even on time. Twilight is fading and the farmer’s market will close before we get there. There are only five more days of school before Christmas break starts, Daddy, and we have NOTHING to give anyone yet.” Kurt said.

Burt sighed and Kurt looked at his dad. 

“No. Mr. Robinson at the very least deserves a gift this year. He has to make up work for me, Dad, because you chose not to listen to either him or me and I’m still repeating second grade even though I was ahead LAST YEAR! All you had to do was go to the school board and get me tested when I ended up missing too many days. WE told you I was completing my school work. MOM told you I was completing my school work. But you let Mr. Johansen make an example out of me so no one would notice that he and HIS kids missed as many days as I did because he took THEM on Vacations!”

“Kurt, do not yell at me about this again.” Burt said in a warning tone.

Kurt just glared at his dad until Burt looked back to the road and asked “Ok, so who all do we need gifts for?”

“Have you sent anything to Aunt Mildred yet?” Kurt asked.

“I haven’t done anything.” Burt said.

“I know.” Kurt replied. “You do realize Santa comes soon, right?”

Burt huffed and Kurt nearly baked down. But Kurt had backed down over everything and it was past six months and things had GOT TO get back to some sort of functionality soon.

Kurt sighed. “We need something for Aunt Mildred and her family. After all that is where I spent half the summer so you could ‘get it together’, even though I did come home with multiple injuries and everything I owned that I went there with ruined. Mr. Robinson, Mrs. Moore and Miss Little at the school and Mrs. Austin for babysitting. Miss Leanne needs a gift. People at the garage. “

“And we have to go to the farmer’s market?” Burt asked.

Kurt glared. “If you had arrived at 3 like you said you would, and not during twilight, it would not have been a problem. That was why I asked for today. I asked Mr. Roland for you to have this afternoon off. I asked your co-workers to get you out in time to hit the farmer’s market. Because you didn’t follow through on your own last week or the week before Thanksgiving, even when you said you would.”

“We’ll make it there.” Burt said.

Kurt just scowled.

The Farmer’s Market was lit up when they pulled into the parking lot, each different booth lined with small lights and inside bulbs turned on. Kurt dragged his dad to a booth in the back first, one he’d heard about from Miss Leanne. It sold ornaments and sun catchers mostly, but also held keychains and magnets.

Kurt picked out a suncatcher and a wooden music note ornament for Miss Leanne and Wooden Christmas ornaments in the shape of apples for his three teachers. He was having a hard time picking out anything for Mrs. Austin, though. He picked up an extra wooden music note ornament…he was hoping on having that one for himself.

“I don’t think Mrs. Austin would want a music note. Maybe she’d like a star or one of the candy canes, those are nice.” Burt said. He took the second music note and put it back and handed Kurt one of the wooden candy cane ornaments. Kurt glared but accepted the choice. 

“I thought we could get my teachers and Mrs. Austin some hot cocoa mixes as well. That would be a good gift and not too expensive.” Kurt said.

Burt nodded and paid for the gifts Kurt had chosen thus far. As his dad paid, Kurt checked his pocket and the money he’d slipped into it. He only had ten dollars and if he bought the ornament himself he’d only have 8 left to buy his dad a gift with. Kurt sighed and looked at the music note ornament again before heading with his dad to the next booth.

It was almost completely dark by the time Kurt found the booth that sold chocolate stuff. He picked out individual packets of flavored hot cocoa mixes for his teachers and Mrs. Austin, and his dad added hot cocoa mixes in tins for the people at the shop and his Aunt Mildred. Kurt figured that was because his dad was done with being out shopping. Kurt sighed. He found a box of chocolates that he could afford that he thought his dad would like and while his dad was paying he bought those. He even had a few dollars left. He darted into the stall next door while his dad chatted with the man selling him the cocoas and bought his dad a keychain. It even had a wrench on it. Kurt was back standing by his dad before his dad even noticed he was gone.

His dad bundled them right into the truck as soon as they’d bought the hot cocoa mixes, not allowing them any more time to look around. Kurt sighed and went with it. At least he’d got his shopping done. He knew where there was wrapping paper at home that had been tucked away at the end of the season last year and he’d just leave the gifts on the dining room table if his dad never got around to doing anything about Christmas at the house.

The house dark when they got home. Kurt had forgotten to leave the dining room light on. They were home earlier than they had been for ages though, so even though Kurt headed straight to the dining room table to do his homework and his dad went to make dinner there was a difference in the pattern. Everything was done much earlier and it was too early for Kurt to head to the bath and then off to bed when he was done eating and with his homework. Instead Kurt went to the living room and sat down by his dad.

“Are there any Christmas shows on?” Kurt asked.

“I don’t know.” Burt answered. “I didn’t look for those in the TV schedule.”

“I’d like to watch something dealing with Christmas. It would be nice to see something Christmasy.”

“I don’t know why.” Burt said.

“So I could see someone enjoying the season and maybe find a little bit of seasonal joy somewhere.” Kurt snapped. “There isn’t any here.”

“We went Christmas shopping, kid. What more do you want?” Burt snapped back.

“Really dad?” Kurt said. “I’m going to go write a list for Santa. I doubt he cares, either, but maybe he’ll at least pay attention enough to decide I was undeserving of anything.”

Kurt stalked off. He grabbed paper from his backpack and a pencil from the kitchen drawer so he didn’t leave his school pencil at the house. As it was he only had school supplies because his teacher bought them for kids who didn’t have any and that meant he didn’t have much of anything.

He sat in the dining room. He remembered last year and how it looked. Even though his mother had been sick, there had been garlands and lights up. Music had played in the background while they baked. There had been a tree in the living room and Christmas shows played in the background while he and his mom wrapped gifts and wrote out cards and did crafts.

He had more than two pairs of long pants and they fit. His shirts weren’t too small and he had a warm sweater, heck he’d had several. In fact he’d had a whole brand new ‘Christmas’ outfit so he’d have something to wear when they went to Christmas parties and Christmas programs and Christmas gatherings. He had a warm coat that was the right size and gloves and a hat. He had boots that fit and Momma had even taken him outside to make a snowman and snow angels and to go ice skating and sledding.

Everything seemed bright and shiny, not this pale grey nothing that he’d been living in since his mom died that was steadily getting darker and darker. Not this echoing existence where he never seemed heard except by himself, especially at home.

Kurt remembered from somewhere that ‘things are always darkest before the dawn’, but he didn’t know how much darker things could get really before he was not going to be able to stand it anymore.

Maybe dawn only came when you made it come. Kurt just knew he was sick and tired of this…this half life.

“Dear Santa,

I want someone to notice me and love me again.”

Kurt just knew that he was done, next year was not going to be like this, the rest of this year was not going to be like this. Even if Kurt had to do it all himself.

Kurt stomped over to the drawer in the china cabinet that his mom had stored the cook books in. First things first, he wasn’t eating another chicken nugget at home for a year…which meant he had to do some reading.


End file.
